Improvement in bed-bottoms



H. BENEolcT.

Improvement in` Spring Bed Bottoms.

lPatented Jan. 1o, i872.V

INVENT on @Junk 'WITNESSES Feroe.

HARMON BENEDIGT, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

` IMPROVEMENT IN jBED-BOTTONIS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N o. 122,698, dated January 16, 1872.

Specication describing certain Improve ments in Spring Bed-Bottoms invented by HARMON BENEDICT, of the city of Philadel-V phia and State of Pennsylvania.

The object of this invention is the accomplishment of the great desideratum of having the bed-bottom retain its level or horizontal position crosswise of the bed under all circumstances.

In the use of other bottoms the part on which a person lies yields most to the weight resting upon it; consequently the bottom is tilted if the occupant is lying at one side of the bed; or, if in the middle, a trough-form is given to it. Or if two persons of unequal weight are occupying the same bed, the side the heavier one is on will, of course, sink lower than the other, and hence, whether the bottom is for either a single or double bed, it is thrown out of its normal position.

The nature of my invention, by which the object in view is fully attained, consists of a series of pairs of slats of peculiar const-ruction and parts in connection, as hereinafter de scribed. The slats are placed crosswise of the bedstead iu the usual manner. Each bottom slat has a vertical slot nearly throughout its entire length, there being only a sufcient portion of the ends left standing to preserve the proper degree of strength and permanency to those parts. In the slot are placed two levers of equal length, connected in the middle by means of a slip-hinge, to allow the changing in the position of the levers as they turn on fulcrum-pins placed horizontally through them and the cheeks of the slat. There are crossgrooves or depressions in the under side of the upper slat to receive the ends of uprights which separate the slats the required dist-ance for placing a spring or springs to give the proper elasticity to the bottom. The said uprights are held in position between the lever and the upper slat and allowed to change from or to a vertical position, as the position of the levers is changed, by means of straps or other device, as hereinafter described.

It will readily be seen that, the levers being connected with each other at their inner ends, and at their outer ends with the upper slats, as described, and having fulcrums at uniform distances, they must have equal motions at all times, no matter how unequal the upper A and u) er slat A and arts in connection therewith.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the upper slat A.

Fig. 3 is a like view of the lower slat A and levers B B in connection therewith. c

Figs. 4 and 5 are an edge and side views of i one of the uprights F. Fig. 6 is an isometrical view of one of the hinges E.

yLike letters in all the figures indicate the same parts. 4

A represents one of the lower slats, and A an upper slat. B B are levers, of equal length, situated in the longitudinal slot C of the slat A, and supported at equal distances by the fulcrum-pins D D, which pass' through the cheeks a a ofthe slat and through the levers, having free play in the latter to admit of the motion of the same. The said levers B B are connected at their inner ends by means of a hinge, E, which is placed in the horizontalslots b b that are suiicientlydarge to admit of the free movement of the hinge. rIhe ends of the hinge are kept in position by means of the pins c c, which pass through slots d d of the hinge, which are seen in Fig. 6, 'whereby the sliding movement oi' the ends of the hinge is provided for, thus allowing the levers full play in the vertical movements of the upperl slat A. The leversB B have circular grooves or depressions e e in their upper sides at their outer ends, and the upper slat A( has like depressions in its under side to receive the ends ofthe uprights F F, which are rounded to iit them, as seen in the vertical section, Fig. l. Theuprights a-re held in place between the levers and the slat A by means of straps Gr. The straps are passed through holes f in the slat, which are represented in Fig. 2, the middle portion being sunk in the face of the same and bedded in grooves j of the uprights, which are seen in Fig. 4. Their ends then are passed over the edges of the levers B, and twisted around the bottom of the levers, or otherwise secured. rIhe uprights being thus connected with the levers and the upper slat A', their ends have a free partial turn in the depressions e e, so as to admit of a free movement of the levers. Other modes may be adopted for securing the Width of bearing to the joints.

bedstea-d, the lower slats being connected with the side rails in the usualinanner.

What I- claim as my invention is- Tlie slotted slat A and hinged levers B B, in combination with the jointed uprights F F, straps G G, and upper Slat A', constructed and arranged substantially in the manner and for the purpose specified.

Witnesses: HARMON BENEDICT.

THOMAS J. BEWLEY, STEPHEN UsTIoK. 

